Don’t get your hopes up, up, up for a live action KPop Demon Hunters remake.
Despite the massive success of the Netflix animated musical, the movie’s creator Maggie Kang revealed she has no interest in bringing the fictional K-pop group HUNTR/X into the real world.
“There's so many elements of the tone and the comedy that are so suited for animation,” she told the BBC in an interview published Oct. 11. “It's really hard to imagine these characters in a live action world. It would feel too grounded. So totally it wouldn't work for me.”
Likewise, her co-director Chris Appelhans said he was hesitant to venture into the realm of live action storytelling.
“The joy of animation is how far you can push and elevate what's possible,” he reasoned, adding that past adaptations of anime features have felt “a little stilted.”
But while the filmmakers plan to keep the franchise firmly in the animated world, Maggie noted that she’s “excited for the potential for more stories” set in the film’s universe.
“There's definitely more we can do with these characters in this world,” she teased. “And whatever it will be, it will be a story that deserves to be a sequel, and it will be something that we want to see.”
Since its release in June, KPop Demon Hunters has become the most-watched original release in Netflix’s history, so it’s no surprise that its stars EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami are all onboard for a potential follow-up.
“We’re waiting as well for the call,” Audrey told E! News in September, while EJAE added, “Stay tuned.”
And in the meantime, the trio are still wrapping their heads around their newfound fame.
“We’re all still processing,” Rei admitted. “It’s a lot. Every day it’s been a new milestone, a new record. Obviously so grateful and honored, but it’s really hard to process.”
For more on the voice cast of KPop Demon Hunters, read on.
Arden Cho as Rumi
Actress Arden Cho stars as Rumi, the lead singer of KPop girl band HUNTR/X and a fierce fighter who must slay both literal demons and some of her own.
Born in Texas, to Korean parents, Cho has been working consistently as an actress, singer and model since 2008. Her other acting credits include Teen Wolf, Partner Track, Chicago Med and Netflix's live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
She's also a competitive poker player (she competed in the 2018 World Series of Poker) and has a black belt in taekwondo.
May Hong as Mira
Ramyeon-loving demon hunter Mira is voiced by May Hong, a model and actress who was raised in Queens, N.Y., and has modeled for designers like Marc Jacobs, Gucci, and Adidas.
"She's tough as f--k, I like that, but also so sensitive and so vulnerable," Hong told Entertainment Weekly about her character. "I do think I've been perceived as someone who's harder on the outside than I actually am with loved ones, and so it resonated with me."
Ji-young Yoo as Zoey
Rising star Ji-young Yoo plays HUNTR/X's bubbly brunette Zoey. Yoo was studying at the University of Southern California before being cast in Prime Video’s Expats alongside Nicole Kidman, and has also recently starred in Freaky Tales and Until Dawn.
"The main thing with Zoey is she's really energetic, which is fun and very lovable, but it's really tiring," Yoo explained to Entertainment Weekly. "A lot of it was just me trying to get as much energy as possible stored up in my system so that I could go into the booth and give that much energy to her voice."
Audrey Nuna, EJAE & Rei Ami as Mira, Rumi & Zoey (singing voices)
Several of the movie’s main characters are brought to life by both a voice actor and a singer, and with four of HUNTR/X's songs charting on the Billboard Hot 100, it’s no surprise there is some serious star power behind the trio’s catchy vocals.
Rumi’s soaring singing voice is delivered by EJAE, a singer, songwriter and producer who has worked with K-pop mega bands like Red Velvet, Twice, Aespa and NMIXX. She also co-wrote several songs for the movie, including the No. 1 hit "Golden" and "Your Idol", and was asked to be the singing voice of Rumi after the directors heard her demos for the tracks.
Singer and rapper Audrey Nuna provides Mira’s singing voice. The New Jersey native signed with Arista Records in 2019 and is best known for her singles "Damn Right" and "Comic Sans" (featuring Jack Harlow).
Rei Ami steps in as the vocalist and rapper for HUNTR/X's Zoey. The singer was born in South Korea and moved to Maryland with her family when she was 6 years old. Her single "Freak" with Sub Urban has reached over 298 million views on YouTube.
Ken Jeong as Bobby
Ken Jeong stars as Bobby, HUNTR/X's hard-working and super supportive manager. Jeong was a medical doctor before his acting career took off thanks to his breakout roles in The Hangover and Community. He’s currently a panelist on Fox’s The Masked Singer.
Ahn Hyo-seop as Jinu
Ahn Hyo-seop plays dreamy demon Jinu, the lead singer of the Saja Boys. KPop Demon Hunters is the star's first voice acting role but he has appeared in several K-dramas including Dr. Romantic, Business Proposal, and A Time Called You.
Andrew Choi as Jinu (singing voice)
Singer and composer Andrew Choi provides the silky singing voice for Jinu. Choi is best known for competing on K-pop Star season two, and has produced tracks for various K-pop groups including Monsta X, EXO and SHINee.
Yunjin Kim and Lea Salonga (singing voice) as Celine
The character of Celine, a former K-pop star, demon hunter and Rumi’s guardian, is played by two performers.
Yunjin Kim is the speaking voice for Celine—best known for playing Sun on Lost and more recently appeared in XO, Kitty and Mistresses.
Celine’s singing voice is provided by legendary Filipino star Lea Salonga, who originated the role of Kim in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon and voiced both Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and the titular heroine in Mulan.
Daniel Dae Kim as Healer Han
Actor Daniel Dae Kim scrubs in as Healer Han, the quirky doctor who tries to help Rumi when she loses her voice. A long-standing TV favorite, Kim is known for his roles on Lost, Hawaii Five-0, Angel, The Good Doctor, and Butterfly.
Lee Byung-hun as Gwi-ma
The malevolent demon king Gwi-ma is voiced by Lee Byung-hun, a South Korean actor known for his work in K-dramas, The Magnificent Seven and Squid Game.
Maggie Kang as Flight Attendant Demon
The movie’s writer and co-director Maggie Kang makes a hilarious cameo as the flight attendant who was watering plants with coffee before being revealed as a demon by Rumi and her squad.
Kang was born in Seoul and moved to Toronto with her family when she was 5. She has worked as a storyboard artist on movies like Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Trolls.
Liza Koshy as Host
YouTuber turned actress Liza Koshy pops up as a TV host who interviews HUNTR/X about their new single, "Golden".
Koshy got her start on Vine in 2013 and has since gained a huge following across social media, with Time adding her to its 2019 list of the 25 Most Influential People on the Internet. More recently, she starred in The Naked Gun and provided voices for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and Disney Channel's Hamster & Gretel.
Joel Kim Booster as Romance Saja
Actor and comedian Joel Kim Booster lends his voice to several characters in the movie, including Romance Saja, the Variety Show Host and Idol Host. Booster is known for his stand-up comedy and the 2022 hit Fire Island (which he wrote and starred in), as well as appearances in Shrill, Big Mouth, Loot and Industry.
SungWon Cho as Abby "Abs" Saja
Voice actor SungWon Cho plays Abby, the Saja Boy known for his eye-popping abs. Alongside his extensive voice work in video games, TV and films, the actor runs a popular YouTube channel under the name ProZD.
Danny Chung as Baby Saja
Baby Saja doesn't have any speaking lines in KPop Demon Hunters, but his memorable rap verses in "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol" are provided by Danny Chung. A rapper and songwriter, Chung not only co-wrote "How It's Done" and "Soda Pop" for the movie soundtrack, but has also written several tracks for Blackpink.